PURPOSE This study was conducted for settlement of the certification system for sports/exercise specialists in advance of the forthcoming implementation of formal license and qualification for sports/exercise professionals. This study identifies the key issues of current and future system and suggestions for establishing better system. METHODS In recent years much attention has been paid to the sports/exercise professionals in the field of health care services in order to better define 1) their role and scope of practice, 2) eligibility and qualifications, 3) examination methods and training, and 4) agency/institute for licenses approval and management. The main goal of this newly reformed qualification system is to educate and train the capable sports/exercise professionals who are more completive and practical in the actual field of health care service with proper qualification. The important changes with new restructured system are inclusion of the patients as a subject for this qualification system and change of academic qualifications for application from a master degree to an undergraduate degree(or an undergraduate graduate-to-be).
Acquiring a license under new system requires an evaluation of actual task performance and practical hands-on training after passing both written and practical examinations. Granted, these changes are significant and will require a substantial effort.
However, in order to provide better job opportunities for exercise major students and to well establish a new domain within the current job market with this newly established certification system for Sports/Exercise Specialist, many interrelated and detailed tasks need to be well managed in the future. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicate a need to determine the level of difficulty and scope of exam questions for both written and practical tests. There is also a need for establishment of formal guidelines to provide evaluating system for written/oral tests and more detail rubrics based on evaluation factors. Practice training requires a more detailed set of guidelines relating to methodology of instruction, qualification of instructors for practice training, and standardized evaluation systems. From an overall career management point of view, discussions should begin addressing balance between supply and demand within the overall job market, developing a system that continuously improves the quality of certified and trained individuals entering the job market, and how to appropriately determine the level of difficulty for practical and oral examinations, all having the intent of creating a more professional and capable sports/exercise career workforce.